So, first I saw a sidebar story in my local newspaper about the mixed feelings amongst Clinton supporters regarding Obama’s nod to Biden as his running mate. I dismissed it as a lame-ish attempt to mine the same well for more column space. Then I saw it mentioned on the Huffington Post. Then, in the weirdest campaign move of which I’ve ever heard, I saw that McCain’s people were actually running an ad criticizing Obama for not selecting Hillary. Not bagging on Biden, mind you–not yet–but just saying that Obama made the wrong choice.

What. The. Fuck.

Frankly, an Obama/Clinton ticket never seriously occurred to me. I thought that he might have done before she conceded in order to assimilate her voter base, but once she endorsed him, I counted her out for the rest of this election. I think that she could have been a fair president, but I don’t see the three of them (and no, I can’t count on Bill to sit on the sidelines) working together harmoniously. Too much ego for one to fit behind one desk, I’d opine.

Was anyone else here in Leftyland (and my apologies to our respected representatives from McCainsylvania) mulling over the possibility of an Obama/Clinton ticket?

I'm waiting to hear form the McCainsylvania Dutch.

"from" sorry

Right after the primary, I didn't think so. But these last few weeks I was actually thinking maybe he'd pick Clinton for his running mate and that it would be a good thing. I'm not disappointed, though. After hearing Biden speak yesterday, I'm convinced it's a good choice.

McCain's obviously running that ad to woo the supposed disillusioned Hillary supporters who will supposedly vote for McCain out of spite. Frankly I'm a little sick of seeing it in the news. The way they keep flogging that angle...it just reinforces negative stereotypes of women as irrational, spiteful, etc...stereotypes that readers are probably all too eager to believe.

The title of this post made me momentarily think that maybe Chelsea was running for office somewhere.

I didn't think Hilary Clinton was a serious candidate for VP, mostly because I'm pretty sure she wouldn't accept. If McCain were to win this year she'd be a less serious candidate four years from now. Endorsing Obama and moving on with her Senate career keeps her a player in policy making anyway and she looks like a team player. Joining the ticket and then running against him in the primaries next time makes her look less like presidential material. Plus I think a substantial part of her supporters will vote for Obama as the lesser of two evils but won't forgive Hilary for accepting Number Two.

I'd mulled over the idea a while back, but I didn't think it would really happen. They would have had to spend a whole bunch of campaign time reassuring everyone that, yes, really, they get along now. Really. For real. Meanwhile, McCain would be trundling right along. So politically it just didn't make sense to me.

I'd sort of hoped against hope that the VP would be a woman. I've been an Obama supporter all along, I understand why he chose Biden, and I'm okay with it, but...it would have been nice.

As far as McCain's response goes, I think that's actually a pretty smart political move. He's saying to all those Clinton supporters, especially the middle of the road ones who don't care for Obama for whatever reason, See? He screwed you over. Vote for me!

It would have been nice to have a female VP candidate, certainly, but perhaps he pragmatically realized that electing a black man would be enough of a challenge without adding a woman to the ticket. I am alright with that, for now, I guess....

As for those alleged Clinton supporters who supposedly won't vote for Obama, I'm with Amanda, I call bullshit. It's like John McCain's concern troll ad about Hillary being passed over. Puh-leez.

You gotta just love this coming from John McCain. The level of disingenuousness, the total cognitive disconnect between the anti-abortion, pro-discrimination, adulterous McCain and the pro-Hilary message...this is why I don't watch TV anymore. Well, except for Curious George.

In hindsight, it's too bay that they didn't stage this better. Hillary, for the party, should have agreed to receive and decline an invitation to be part of the VP search process, offering a legitimate reason (e.g., she'd be of greater help in the Senate, etc.). I think that would have smoothed many ruffled feathers. Of course, some people are just angry that the Democratic Party allocated delegates according to the system it had chosen and not according to popular vote alone. And some are holding on to the belated complaints about Michigan's and Florida's delegates being stripped as punishment for breaking the party's rules about the primary dates, which only gained purchase once it was clear Hillary needed them.

C'est la vie. If the party can't pull together and beat back Mr. I-Was-A-POW-So-Don't-Scrutinize-Me, it's going to be pretty sad.

Ur, bad.

Obama had to pick a candidate that was less galvanizing than Hillary would have been. Regardless of how "left" you are, there's a lot of people who are as tired of the Clinton family and don't want any more as much as they're tired of the Bush family and don't want any more.

I still don't think Obama has any idea of the kind of voter turnout that's going to be against him, purely because he's black. I don't think the pollsters are reaching that group either.

I think election day is going to be a lot closer than anybody thinks.

p.s. I saw on the news this morning that 30% of people who claim to have voted for Hillary in the primaries now claim they'll vote for McCain. I guess for many people it's the perception of experience (or possibly skin color) that trumps ideology and policy proposals.

A lot of the PUMAs have got to be Republicans anyway. Limbaugh had an organized campaign to get his listeners to vote for Hilary. Makes Obama's victory in the primary even more obvious, if Republicans had their fingers on the scale in favor of Hilary.

I thought that Bush had no chance in 2004 -- wrong -- so I have no optimism for this year.

I liked Hillary and I voted for her, but I didn't have any illusions about her being on the ticket. Like JTC, I figured that she wouldn't accept it anyway.

However, I do kind of get where a lot of (actual, legitimate) Hillary supporters are upset about how this went down, even if I don't necessarily agree with it. Again, JTC is right that if Obama had handled it differently and maybe cut a deal with her where he offered and she declined, it would have gone a long way to sooth many ruffled feathers.

Eh, I was a Hillary Clinton fan and I'm still not lounging on a beach chair drinking a margarita on Obama Island, but I never thought she'd be picked nor did I want her to be. I agree 100% with what Floor Pie said. I have no patience for people who would vote for anybody out of "spite." She didn't win. Ok. Obama is the next closest to my opinions on important positions. Ok. I will vote for Obama. This doesn't seem difficult to me.

I never thought she'd take it either. But I'm baffled by Clinton supporters who now say they are going to join McCain's camp. If they are dittoheads that's one thing. And I can understand people being upset about the way the VP process went down. But really? You'd risk putting our country under four more years of McBush because of that?

I voted for Nader in 2000 and didn't regret it at the time, but I can't see risking a "statement" vote this year.

Voting out of spite or hatred is the wrong reason.

I don't care how you vote, just vote.

Okay, maybe. If you know what the issues are (besides just the war and the economy), and you can cohesively talk about it, then vote. Otherwise, stay home. Don't be sheep. Vote for what candidate applies to YOU the most.